Good morning folks,
I've been reflecting on the year and the books that I've read during these 12 months. This year - as I consider it has been learning in abundance type of year, which has allowed me to narrow down on a few quotes of my choosing.
Here are a few quotes that summed up my year of 2020:
Set restrictions to avoid decision fatigue - I came across this in Your music and people by Derek Sivers. It expanded on the idea that placing restrictions avoids decision fatigue. In this process, we become aware of how we can avoid wasting time, but more importantly understand the importance of restriction is a parameter. Here's a summary of the book that I'd written this year.
Action cure fears - This is an understatement. 'The Magic of Thinking Big' by David Schwartz highlights a simple notion - to be confident in the aspect of any nature, take action against it. If you're afraid of public speaking, try practising in small groups and increase the level of difficulty as you become comfortable with each stage. A more personal experience has been travelling to Aberdeen for the very first time to do testing alone was uncomfortable and terrifying. In that experience, I gained confidence which enabled me to repeat a similar type of testing at a larger scale in Great Yarmouth.
Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits. Your net worth is a lagging measure of your financial habits. Your weight is a lagging measure of your eating habits. Your knowledge is a lagging measure of your learning habits. Your clutter is a lagging measure of your cleaning habits. You get what you repeat. - this has been a constant battle, a simple idea of following what you practice. Building a mindset to keep improving and building to a 66 day run of being consistent with my habits has been challenging, but not impossible. Last year, I decided to experiment with vegetarianism which continued even after 66 days. Next challenge - waking up at 5:30 AM, taking cold showers and intermittent fasting.
Right, enough of that - back to watching 'The Queen's Gambit'
Abhishek
P.S. - check out my home on the internet abhisheknair.org
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Snippets of Madness
Article - In this article, the author indulges on a well-known fact of a wandering mind and how it can increase our setup time. This impacts our ability to concentrate and complete deep work. The antidote for a wandering mind:
Rewarding yourself for every completed task that involves deep work.
If you find your mind wandering strengthen your brain circuitry system by breathing and bringing your focus onto your breath.
Podcast - The Essence of Leadership: The Knowledge Project Ep: 96
This 60 minute listen further expanded on my understanding of leadership. It highlighted more questions that I needed to answer and experience that I needed to build upon as an aspiring leader.
How does one become an effective leader with great follower-ship skill?
The importance of setting priorities is underrated. Building a day with priorities is a means of achieving what's important and what's not. A tool to consider would be the Eisenhower matrix.
Best attribute of a leader - is to inspire and motivate. How does one build within themselves the natural essence to inspire and motivate others?
Quote that I want to share - Book: Questions are the Answers by Allan Pease
Everyone is motivated by one of two things: to make a gain or avoid a pain
The simplicity of this poem - “Praying” by Mary Oliver
It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway
into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.
Let me know what you’ve enjoyed from this issue in the comments below or even share your favourite snippet from this issue.